5 Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

After this weekend we will officially be in the Holiday Season. This is both a joyful and overwhelming time of year. It can get scary. Waking up at 4am to cook a turkey and then looking alive at midnight for black Friday sales (that are starting way too early... or late?). But it's okay we've got your back, and your sides! Here's our top five tips for surviving the holiday season without pulling all of your hair out.

 Keep Gatherings Small and Intimate - Get together with a few of your closest friends or relatives for the holidays. Choose to throw the big blowout parties at another time of the year, when you and your guests will have fewer commitments competing for your precious time.

 Be Ready to Attend Holiday Parties - Buy a small stock of hostess gifts in advance so you don't have to run around the day of each party you attend trying to find a gift amongst the masses. It's also helpful if you have a unannounced guest. Several jars of locally made preserves are good to have on hand, as are beautifully wrapped soaps and bottles of wine.

 Take Advantage of Timesavers - Order our creamy garlic mashed potatoes or the bakery’s pumpkin pie to complement your main course. "Adeline Rosemire, author of Christmas Shortcuts, once went one step further and hosted a holiday dinner in which everything—the appetizers, smoked turkey, bread and desserts—had been ordered from gourmet food catalogs and required little or no preparation" - WomansDay

 Stock the Bar - Take inventory of liquor-cabinet staples, including tonic water and other mixers, and restock those that are running low. Also chill a few bottles of Champagne, you never know when holiday guests may decide to drop in!

 Plan Ahead for your Holiday Party - Trying to get everything done at the last minute with guests knocking at your door can be very stressful.  If your cooking your holiday dinner yourself think about what you can prepare in advance and make a checklist of all the ingredients you need. When it comes time to shop, avoid the evening-weekday rush and weekend crowds. The day of, set the table in the morning so that unforeseen events -- a late meeting, a last-minute stop at the wine seller -- don't slow things down. Right before your guests arrive, dim the lights, light some candles, and pour yourself a glass of wine. 

And you can always make things easier by having it catered! 

Because after taking care of everyone else all day, it's nice to have someone take care of you.

The Holiday Feasting Table

We've seen our share of elongated kings tables in the wedding world but it's definitely a pleasant surprise to find this trend popping up in the corporate world. This Holiday season Corporate parties will be sporting these elongated tables for their employees to feast together a la Tiny Tim in Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol". Feasting Tables create a more familial setting where all of your guests can truly enjoy the meal together!

Fall Harvest

 "Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly." - M.K. Fisher 

We tend to take for granted the experience of sharing food with our loved ones. So why not slow down and enjoy a classic dinner party at home, it's a simple party that doesn't  require to much planning beyond the menu. With food as the focus, this kind of party is all about the experience of eating and making a meal important. 

Holidays at The Mansion

If you were to imagine throwing the perfect holiday party, wouldn't you want it to be at a historic 1920's mansion?

 That's what we thought. 

 For company holiday parties, or even large families, choosing the right venue for your event can be difficult. When it comes to the holidays we all long for the warmth of familiar faces and a sense of home.

Christmas in July

It's July! and amidst this sweltering heat we're dreaming about the days of wearing sweaters. So we're celebrating Christmas in July with festive themed parties, holiday sound tracks, and (frozen) hot chocolate! If you too cant wait until December consider throwing your own Christmas in July party. It's actually much easier than hosting Christmas in December, much less pressure, and no gift exchange required. It can be even more fun and games by implementing an "Ugly Sweater" theme or providing all of your guests with Santa hats or reindeer antlers to wear. And if you're not quite ready to climb into the attic and unpack those boxes of decorations, it's the perfect time to buy decor at a discounted rate. There's always the great holiday section on Etsy with loads of items for parties, like these great printable invitations we found.

And it's a great time to visit your local goodwill. Goodwill's are full of seasonal decor right now and even better the cost will go to good cause which gives us even more of that holiday spirit we yearn for. 

Another great reason for Christmas in July? Getting to eat holiday food of course!

 We'll be making turkey and cranberry sauce (which means day after sandwiches as well!) with garlic mashed potatoes and candied yams for miles. And let's not forget about those fabulous seasonal cocktails we all love. Try eggnog on the rocks or our Candy Cane-tini.

Now all you need is a yule log and you're set!

And yes we will make them in july ;)

And for everyone who's not quite ready to celebrate, it's never too early to start planning your holiday party in the actual holiday season! We're offering 10% off your food and beverage plus a complimentary event upgrade if you book before September 1st.

Easter Entertaining

Now that we're done with all of the heavy flavors of winter holidays past; it's finally time to enjoy natures splendor with the crisp light flavors of spring.  Easter is the perfect opportunity to embrace spring and entertain your guests with all of the fresh flavors of the season. We're very excited to introduce our new Spring Holiday Menu for 2012 we've also put together our perfect prixe fixe menus for Brunch and Dinner featuring the fabulous tastes of spring  All available as gourmet to-go so you can spend Easter out of the kitchen.
 To compliment your fabulous spring menu you'll want to set the table with festive colors and decor of the season. With all of the pastel colors associated with Easter it's easy to be overwhelmed, one of the simplest ways to create a crisp and elegant table scape is to choose one color and keep everything monochromatic.

Keep it simple!

 If you can, cut some fresh flowers from the yard, arrange some freshly picked fruit, or use some of those eggs the kids dyed as a centerpiece for your table.  At home entertaining shouldn't be stressful, it should be a fun time for you and your guests. So pick up your meal the day before and just relax.

To Place an Order call 714.447.9190 or Email: info@colettesevents.com